There is one thing that Fly Guy and I disagree about when it comes to parenting. It is extracurricular activities. I would like to see History Girl do some because I very it as an important part of growing up, Fly Guy doesn't think it is important. I guess I am frustrated with the fact that History Girl tries something for awhile and then gives up on it. I would like her to find something that will bring her some sort of happiness for the rest of her life. Yeah, yeah, I know that is asking for a lot, but you have to remember that I started swimming competitively when I was 10 years old and since then I have always viewed myself as a swimmer. Even when I was on a break from swimming for one reason or another I stilled viewed myself as a swimmer. I used Middle School and High School as a time to try new things, Fly Guy thinks it was because I wanted to be away from home. I think I just wanted to try new things. I enjoyed the year I had with the model airplane club, I loved my few years with the Outing Club. I also took part in track (threw shot put and discus and ran the mile), cross-country and I was one of the first members of my High School's girls' lacrosse team. I was a member of SADD. I was a member of the Math Club, I won an honorable mention for the state wide Math Fair in eighth grade. I took Russian after school. Went to the Soviet Union my junior year of High School. I enjoyed trying all these new things and feel that they all made me a more interesting and knowledgeable person.
Thinking about it even in college I did activities. I joined the Fencing club. Pledged a sorority. Joined the ACM. I was a member of the pagan students association and a Russian Language club.
I always have enjoyed trying new things and it really frustrates me that History Girl has no interests in activities. Fly Guy says he wasn't involved in much and he turned out relatively normal, so I guess History Girl will be ok also.
You might have noticed I haven't said a word about Horse Girl. Well that is because when she picks up an activity, she picks it up for life. The only thing she has ever dropped out of is Girl Scouts and I was happy when she did that because it meant I no longer had to be a leader. :-)
She takes part in gymnastics, horse back riding, 4-H, piano lessons, and drum lessons. She also has her twice a week tutoring so she can't fit anything else in. So I have no worries about her. :-)
During your school years did you take part in activities and to what extent?
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I am a woman who was diganoused with learning disablities when I was 5 or 6 years old. I was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia. Having been born into a family of writers it makes me a bit of a Squib...a non-writer born into a writing family. (Aplogies to J.K. Rowling.) Three decades after my daignoses I am married and raising two girls, my youngest has learning differances. Because of my lack of writing skills you will come across choppy grammer and poorly spelled word. Just cope.
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4 comments:
My mom insisted upon music lessons so first it was the piano and dance & then once I got to high school it was just dance.
I think I was too old to get into sports because there just were not that many girl's leagues around my area at the time. Once I got to high school I had taken some tennis lessons, but no other sport ever appealed to me.
Still - nothing like what is available to our kids!
I would think that the things you are now discovering about History Girl might give you a clue as to why she is reticent about trying new things. Could be too much for socially to contemplate.
I did lots of activities in elementary school: dance, band, softball, Scouts, swim team in the summer but I remember my mom picking them out. I never remember having a choice; the only one I liked was Scouts and marginally swimming.
In middle/ high school I had more of my choices and drifted into theater, creative writing and journalism, which I liked much better.
I agree with you that extracurricular activities are important. They teach a lot of life skills that can't be learned exclusively in the classroom. Kids who are involved in them also tend to do better in school.
In elementary school, I took piano, dance, and twirling lessons and participated in Camp Fire Girls. By middle school I'd narrowed down to band and twirling, which I continued during high school. I also did yearbook, French Club, NHS, etc. in high school and ocntinued to be involved in student organizations in college. That's even how I met Adventure Guy.
I'm right in line with the rest of the moms. Each child should have some activity in which she excels or about which she is passionate. It's important for lifelong development, and in the shorter term, for college admission.
In grade school, I took ballet lessons, piano lessons, was in Brownies for a year or two, and went to religious school. I continued ballet lessons until I was in high school, and I regret that I quit. Piano lessons lasted for 3-4 years until I couldn't stand the teacher anymore. I should not have stopped those either. I never liked Brownies.
In high school, I became very involved in chorale and the annual musicals. Singing has been a lifelong passion for me, as you know. I participated in Spanish language competitions from high school through college.
My one regreat is that I didn't play sports. Ballet just doesn't cut it for healthy living in later years. That's why I'm encouraging my boys to try different sports now to see what interests them. They don't have to be lettermen or Olympians. They just need to love to play the game.
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